Offense Optional as Trail Blazers Vs Suns Ends 92-77; Avdija Exits Early

The Portland win over Phoenix finished 92-77 in a contest defined more by defense and absences than scoring. The trail blazers vs suns matchup mattered because Portland corrected a defensive collapse less than 48 hours after giving up 157 points to Denver, and Phoenix was missing much of its regular rotation.

Donovan Clingan’s all-over performance and the team’s rim protection

Donovan Clingan finished with 23 points and four blocked shots while making three of six three-point attempts, adding three assists and a steal in 31 minutes; his rebound total is unclear in the provided context (sources list both 12 and 13). Five Portland players combined for 11 blocks in the game, with Clingan accounting for four of those rejections. Clingan had missed the Denver game a couple of days earlier and returned with an active defensive presence in this one.

Scoot Henderson’s expanded role in his sixth game

Scoot Henderson played his sixth game of the season and logged 30 minutes, shedding the minutes restrictions he had been under. His line read 11 points, four rebounds, six assists, four turnovers and one block, and he shot 4 of 14 from the field, 1 of 6 from three and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Coverage of the game noted Henderson was a sturdy presence on defense and made plays at pivotal moments that helped Portland after the Denver debacle.

Jerami Grant, Collin Gillespie and the Suns’ limited offense

Jerami Grant shared game scoring honors with Clingan at 23 points, shooting 9 of 13 from the field, 3 of 6 from outside and 2 of 3 from the foul line; he also had two rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block and led Portland with 12 points before the break. Collin Gillespie cut the Blazers’ lead with two three-pointers to make it 80-69 with 7: 36 remaining and finished with 18 points, while Jalen Green added 13. Those were the only Suns players in double figures in a night Phoenix finished with its lowest-scoring outing of the season and shot 37% from the field and 26% from three for the game.

Trail Blazers Vs Suns: game flow, turnovers and the halftime slog

Portland built a 20-point lead late in the third quarter and carried a 71-57 advantage into the fourth. The first half was especially sluggish: the Blazers had just 47 points at the break and led 47-40 while Phoenix missed its first seven three-pointers and was 2 of 19 from long range before halftime. Portland made only five of its first 20 three-point attempts. Turnovers were an issue on both ends—Portland committed 21 turnovers and Phoenix had 19—yet Portland’s defense held firm enough to win the low-scoring affair.

Injuries, absences and Avdija’s early exit

The game at Mortgage Matchup Center was played with several key players out or limited. Portland started without Shaedon Sharpe. Phoenix was missing Devin Booker (hip strain), Dillon Brooks (fractured hand), Grayson Allen (knee/ankle) and Jordan Goodwin (calf); those four players average more than 70 points combined. All-Star forward Deni Avdija left after 59 seconds with a lower-back injury and did not return; he had been listed as questionable before the game but decided to play, then tweaked his back while backing into the post in the opening minute. The context notes Avdija has been battling lower-back issues for weeks and had missed 10 of 16 games before the All-Star break.

Portland’s quick defensive turnaround and what’s next

One narrative line from the coverage is that Portland had less than 48 hours to correct its defense after surrendering 157 points to Denver and managed a dramatic turnaround in this 92-77 result. The coverage also mentions that the Blazers achieved a rare defensive feat that amounts to NBA history, but the specific accomplishment cited by a statistical service is unclear in the provided context. Portland improved to a record listed as 28-30 and has won five of seven; Phoenix is listed as 33-25. Portland returns home to host Minnesota on Tuesday night, with the context listing a 7pm Pacific start time (10pm ET).

In the trail blazers vs suns matchup, low scoring and a flurry of blocks carried the day for Portland while the Suns’ depleted rotation could not find consistent offense.